O-ring caliper pistons
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2003
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From: Nottingham
O-ring caliper pistons
When installing o-ring piston seals in brake calipers, is there a special design of piston, or can you retro-fit o-rings onto pistons that originally used the standard lip-seal design?
You can probably guess why I'm asking.. I've got my calipers apart to fix leaky seals, and although they have been s/s sleeved at some point, they are still using the old lip seals. I'm curious to know whether I can buy an o-ring seal kit to upgrade them, or if I have to stick with the lip seals.
I guess I'm after input from someone who's been through this before...
Cheers!
Theo
You can probably guess why I'm asking.. I've got my calipers apart to fix leaky seals, and although they have been s/s sleeved at some point, they are still using the old lip seals. I'm curious to know whether I can buy an o-ring seal kit to upgrade them, or if I have to stick with the lip seals.
I guess I'm after input from someone who's been through this before...
Cheers!
Theo
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Smile, it's just the internet.
The conversion kit isn't very expensive. If you have to order the parts anyway, I'd get the cenversion. Especially with the driving season being so short in the UK.
VBP sells two different conversion kits. One is $30 per caliper, the other is $40 per caliper. Both include the pistons, o-rings, and seals. The expensive one adds bolts, springs, etc.
VBP sells two different conversion kits. One is $30 per caliper, the other is $40 per caliper. Both include the pistons, o-rings, and seals. The expensive one adds bolts, springs, etc.
Last edited by CGGorman; Apr 3, 2006 at 03:11 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 12,703
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From: Scottsdale Arizona
Originally Posted by CGGorman
The conversion kit isn't very expensive. If you have to order the parts anyway, I'd get the cenversion. Especially with the driving season being so short in the UK.
VBP sells two different conversion kits. One is $30 per caliper, the other is $40 per caliper. Both include the pistons, o-rings, and seals. The expensive one adds bolts, springs, etc.
VBP sells two different conversion kits. One is $30 per caliper, the other is $40 per caliper. Both include the pistons, o-rings, and seals. The expensive one adds bolts, springs, etc.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 5,727
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From: Fremont CA
Red Vette Racer and I think O-ring stuff is JUNK! You seem to be from the UK, I guess they might work for YOu at low speeds. I wouldn't track race a car with O-ring calipers, I'll stick with J-56 parts myself.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
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From: Forked River NJ
Originally Posted by Solid LT1
Red Vette Racer and I think O-ring stuff is JUNK! You seem to be from the UK, I guess they might work for YOu at low speeds. I wouldn't track race a car with O-ring calipers, I'll stick with J-56 parts myself.
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Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Orange Park Florida
It's not junk, it's a much superior improvement, but having said that, not really necessary, the largest single improvement I made to my brakes, OTHER THAN HYDROBOOST was leaving out those damn silly stock spring from behind the pistons....
GENE
GENE
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: WI
Originally Posted by Solid LT1
Red Vette Racer and I think O-ring stuff is JUNK! You seem to be from the UK, I guess they might work for YOu at low speeds. I wouldn't track race a car with O-ring calipers, I'll stick with J-56 parts myself.
I tried the Zero tolerance O-ring pistons, I believe "Mike" the owner of ZTI is the REAL father of the o-ring piston (I don`t care who holds the patent). I inquired about heat transfer as the J-56 stuff uses a phoenelic plastic insulator, he assured me I didn`t need an insulator as I wanted to whack off the end in a lathe and mount the J-56 insulators. First off VB&P do not bore the holes for the ss sleeves on center so I had to grind the bottom of EVERY bore of my VB&P calipers. While I had a hard pedal in the garage, on the track was another story...two pumps at EVERY corner, (the o-rings do not have enough sealing surface), real race calipers have o-rings BUT they are square cut not round. My SRF (the BEST brake fluid you can buy) fluid turned black and there were aluminum flakes floating in the master cylinder.....At the track I rebuilt my calipers with my trusty J-56 stuff, mounted and bled a new master cyl, bled the calipers and off I went with NO issues all weekend. For the street maybe on the track NO WAY, at least not on my cars!!
...redvetracr
Last edited by redvetracr; Apr 3, 2006 at 07:02 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,216
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From: Smile, it's just the internet.
O-rings help if you store the car a lot. They don;t sag like lip seals do. Once the seals sag over the winter, they can take a set and cause a leak.
If you drive the car a lot and make sure the runout is very low, there is little, if any, benefit to the o-rings.
For racing, the best route is to upgrade to something designed on a CAD system.
If you drive the car a lot and make sure the runout is very low, there is little, if any, benefit to the o-rings.
For racing, the best route is to upgrade to something designed on a CAD system.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 601
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From: Nottingham
Interesting stuff. All the brake calipers I've ever rebuilt on european motors have had square cut o-rings on the piston, and I did wonder how well these round o-rings actually worked. I'd assumed they were a fairly tried and tested upgrade, but that's probably what we're told by the guys who are sellin 'em!
I'm don't race the vette, but that doesn't mean I don't want decent brakes. I've always found the lip seal calipers to be pretty effective at stopping up to now.
Just out of interest, what does the J56 signify? And whereabouts is the phenolic insulator you mention? Is it actually part of the lip seal?
I'm don't race the vette, but that doesn't mean I don't want decent brakes. I've always found the lip seal calipers to be pretty effective at stopping up to now.
Just out of interest, what does the J56 signify? And whereabouts is the phenolic insulator you mention? Is it actually part of the lip seal?
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 18,126
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From: WI
Originally Posted by theoUK
.
Just out of interest, what does the J56 signify? And whereabouts is the phenolic insulator you mention? Is it actually part of the lip seal?
Just out of interest, what does the J56 signify? And whereabouts is the phenolic insulator you mention? Is it actually part of the lip seal?
...redvetracr
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 18,126
Likes: 174
From: WI
Originally Posted by CGGorman
For racing, the best route is to upgrade to something designed on a CAD system.
...redvetracr
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,527
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From: East London/SW Essex UK
[QUOTE=theoUK]When installing o-ring piston seals in brake calipers, is there a special design of piston, or can you retro-fit o-rings onto pistons that originally used the standard lip-seal design?
to theoUK
I replaced the standard pistons and seals with 'o' ring seals complete with matching pistons on front end last year. Calipers were already ss sleeved. Also replaced pads with HP Plus units. Doing rear calipers and pads shortly. All bits sourced from Ecklers. Been no problem to me as yet, although I only use the car for street use.
to theoUK
I replaced the standard pistons and seals with 'o' ring seals complete with matching pistons on front end last year. Calipers were already ss sleeved. Also replaced pads with HP Plus units. Doing rear calipers and pads shortly. All bits sourced from Ecklers. Been no problem to me as yet, although I only use the car for street use.
